Firestone Hot Springs It was the wicked and wild wind

And another!

The springs were a place he had not traveled in a while, but as he left the river behind him, he decided to make the quick jaunt.  A place of respite, to perhaps mull over some things that had been resurfacing of late.  With a settling down of immediate concerns came the arrival of past ones, or so it usually went.  The mind wasn't always the best at sitting idle, or his was not at least.

They were not fears so much as gentle stirrings, a small bit of anxiety that could be passed off as paranoia but plagued him still.  He had disclosed of his past to none but Peregrine, and even to his former leader, he had not told all.  He hoped that this continued silence (and it would continue, for he had no desire to end it) would not come back to bite him, and that his worries were unfounded.  Sometimes the past was best left buried, so long as it did not fester.  Sometimes this decision wasn't left up to the one doing the burying, though.  There was only so much to be done when it dug itself up and came searching.

Skirting a pool of steaming water, he peered within, allowing the warm mist to settle about his face.  Sighing,  he laid down upon the warmed stones at the lip of the basin.  He was simply being an idiot, caught up with ghosts because he had nothing better to fret over.  Honestly. 

*snags*! I'm playing BDP bingo with Luke. He's met half of BDP already haha.

So far, he had been unsuccessful in speaking to Peregrine, having only managed to catch the elusive man when he was sleepwalking. Though he had not wanted to depart the fringes of the caldera until he spoke to Peregrine properly, he needed a break. He was bothered, and struggling to maintain his sunny mood. The conflict had nothing to do with him other than he had been denied a friendly visit, which was well within Fox's rights as an alpha, but he worried for his companion and wanted to apologize for leaving him hanging. Of course, it occurred to Luke that it was not like Peregrine had sought him out, either. He frowned as he walked.

There was a time when dark clouds and sour moods were the blue-nosed wolf's norm. He had gotten past that time, and loathed to be reminded of it, as he had been this past week or so with negative thoughts and poisonous feelings hanging about. He shook his head. He was almost to the hot springs, and sought to relax in their warmth. Someone had beat him there though. His gaze lifted, beholding a large gray male. His tail began to wag a bit.

"Hey," he called as he approached. The male seemed a bit pensive, not unlike himself. "Here to soak away your worries?" he smiled and seated himself.

He heard the approach and turned, though without alarm. It hadn't sounded like an aggressive movement and Luke's friendly demeanor only served to prove that. As a result, Dante didn't rise from where he was, though his tail thumped agreeably in return. The stones were comfortable and the warmth great for relieving tension. "There's no better place for it," he confirmed.

"Name's Dante. You come for the relaxation, or are you already sufficiently 'laxed'?" He asked with a hint of a smile. Luke didn't seem overly happy, but nor was he obviously burdened. It was sometimes hard to tell with strangers exactly where their thoughts lay, though it was happily clear that violence wasn't on the table. On the way here he'd halfway worried someone had snapped up a claim on these springs over the winter's pass.

Indeed, there was something about heat that was naturally soothing, be it the sun on your back, or a companion at your side. The hot spring had a double effect for the blue-nosed wolf: heat and water, the latter alone was a comfort to him. He nodded in agreement.

"I'm Luke," he answered in turn with a smile. "I'm a pretty chill guy," he said. Mentally, he wanted to bite himself, for having allowed his composure to be undermined the way that he had. It was his nature to be sunny, but it had been his nature to be a sour beast, and he knew the latter was always a threat to return if he did not keep it caged. "But, I do find my thoughts a bit bothered as of late." He admitted. "Nothing a bath can't cure though," he winked, and stepped into the hot embrace of the spring. "Ahh," he said. "Better already."

im sorry if this is terrible, I'm riding the strugglebus

Though he had bathed in these pools before, at the moment, Dante preferred to keep his pelt dry. He watched with mild amusement though as Luke entered the water with little hesitation. Some would excessive caution with the hot springs, but it seemed Luke was the act first type.

"Chill... It's an admirable way to live. Definitely preferable to the alternative. Are your worries large?" He was ever a counselor, and even if the lone wolf did not wish to confide, he felt the need to offer. It would certainly take his mind off his own troubles.

He settled into the springs, allowing the hot water to wash across his shoulders and the rest of him, leaving just his head exposed. He was soothed already, and felt the heat loosen muscles he did not realize had been tensed. He flexed his toes against the bottom of the spring as the other man asked about his worries. Luke shook his head. He was a fairly open wolf, but he was not inclined to share the nature of his bothers with this fellow, especially when he was questioning them himself.

"Nah," he answered. It's all good, or it will be soon enough," he grinned, dipping his head beneath the water for the briefest of moments. His face and ears enjoyed the spring as much as the rest of him. "You not coming in?" he asked.

Fair enough. Dante was well acquainted with keeping such things to your own person, and though the distraction would have been welcome, there were other conversations that could follow. Not that he was particularly good at small talk.

"I don't think so today. I'll stick to dry land." He said, then chuckled. "of course, the steam is doing its job, so 'dry land' might be relative." The humidity was settling in his coat regardless, and he knew he'd leave damp. But the thought of soaking himself just wasn't a pleasant one today.

Unfortunately, the man would not be joining him in the spring, but this did not bother him. "If I knew you better, I'd drag you in," Luke nodded his tail swishing across the surface of the spring in a wag. It was a joke, but he meant it, though sometimes it did not matter if he knew someone before he'd set about such actions. Case by case, he made his choice.

"So Dante," he followed up, not content to allow silence to settle between them. Others struggled to make small talk but the blue-nosed wolf could almost always find something to spur the conversation to continue. "Where you from?" He thought he could detect something familiar in the wolf's scent, but was not certain.

Dante was grateful the other refrained.... There were very few in this world who he would be ok with that level of familiarity from, and Luke was not one of them. He smiled in appreciation of the joke, but made a silent note of relief.

"The plateau. It's pretty near here, just across the flatlands. I don't wander often, but I'm fond of these springs, and it has been a while." He looked around. Normally he met others here, so it wasn't a great spot for solitude, but it made sense that the water would be a draw. "You?"

"Oh!" Luke exclaimed, though he hushed himself, as Dante begun to answer. He was from Lasher's pack, and Osprey's, and Mordecai's and now Harlyn's, and Saena's and Valtyr's former. The blue-nosed wolf had met many of the plateau wolves, even Peregrine and Fox had once called the place home. It was a wonder who he had not met, and it certainly spoke to the health and longevity of the pack. Had he not been so against living away from water and were he not promised to Harlyn's upcoming pack, it would have been natural for him to seek a life there, among wolves whom he had found companionship and more. He smiled warmly.

"I'm a lone wolf for now," he answered in turn. "I've actually met quite a few of your packmates. Lasher, Osprey, Mordecai, Harlyn. Some former ones too - Saena, Valtyr. Even Peregrine and Fox." His tail swished. "Long standing pack is it? Big, too?"

The recognition surprised him, but he guessed a moment later it shouldn't have.  Many members of the pack were regular travelers, and it made sense that he would have run into them at one time or another.  Lasher, Mordecai, and Harlyn all made frequent trips beyond.  Osprey too, though less since her ordeal.  His ear twitched at the mention of former members.  Saena he could see mentioning it, and possibly Valtyr, but he was a little surprised Fox and Peregrine had claimed roots.  Especially considering recent events, they seemed all too willing to cut off any ties with previous family.

"Standing as long as I've been here, and gods willing, it will continue to."  His paw idly rocked a loose stone near his resting place, and he watched it roll a foot or two.  Then he looked curiously at Luke.  "Life as a loner agreeing with you?" There was a time he'd thought to follow that path for good, convinced pack life was not for him. That had quickly passed. Some were suited to the life, though, and he wondered if Luke was one of them. He seemed a bit social for the type, yet that didn't mean anything for sure.

When it came to hot springs, it was possible to have too much of a good thing. Luke was beginning to feel his body flush uncomfortably. What had been warm and inviting was now simply too hot, and so he bounded ashore after Dante's answer. He gave his plush coat a good shake, then took a seat. To Dante's question, he shifted his mouth and gave a bit of a shrug.

"I make do," he said. "It's not my preference. I'm too much of a social bug," he laughed. Suspecting that the gray man may be looking to recruit him, he added, "but hopefully I won't be a loner much longer. I will be joining a friend of mine's pack, which hasn't formed yet." If it was not formed by the fall, however, it was entirely possible that Dante would find a blue-nosed wolf knocking at the plateau's door.

He had vowed not to spend another winter alone.

Dante would indeed have likely considered offering a place to him, or at least entertained the idea in the future direction of their conversation. He couldn't tell based on what was spoken so far if he would make a good addition, but he liked the impression he'd gotten. Luke, however, put this to rest swiftly. He considered asking where this pack was to be founded, yet instead refrained. If they were nearby, likely he would hear of it.

"Well, I wish them luck then. Forming is no easy task, it seems." Not that he'd ever had to do so. But there was a lot to consider in his mind. Claiming a territory and ensuring it's security, gaining enough trustworthy and loyal support, and establishing amongst neighbors a position of strength only the first to come to mind. They would have work cut out.

Forming is no easy task, he said. For Luke, it did not seem hard so much as it seemed time consuming, or rather that it was a process that apparently took much longer than he had anticipated. He wished he had more frequent contact with Harlyn, and Mordecai too, with whom he had not spoken since the day they had met. He wondered at their progress, their thoughts. He wondered what exactly kept them, and if they thought they would be ready before the chill of winter chased out the heat of summer. Both of them resided at the plateau and likely did not feel the same suspense as the lone wolf who did not prefer to be alone.

He wondered if perhaps he should have joined them. He would be among them, and among Lasher, but when it came time to leave... He pushed the thought away. The white wolf was often impulsive, not often considering the angles before making a decision. But he had been in this limbo long enough that he had thought of many things, and ultimately thought it best to hold out until fall began to wane.

"No, I guess not," Luke agreed after several moments of silence. "It's exciting though," he continued, to keep things upbeat. "You know, starting fresh and all. I like to think I am a patient fellow but... I can't wait." He grinned.

He nodded, understanding. To be a part of a pack's founding had to be satisfying, for he would have a hand in forming the lasting basis of the group. To watch something grow like that... There would be little satisfaction to rival it. "Well, if you get tired of waiting, or it falls through, perhaps we can talk. I hope not, though." He smiled warmly, completely unaware of who he was sending such well wishes to. Perhaps he would have felt differently, had he known.

"Do you know why they are waiting?" He was curious, for if Luke was so ready and had no place, surely they would be trying to form as quickly as possible?

Dante did not, and would not, know just how tempting it was to the white wolf to ask to be accepted into the ranks of his pack. On that plateau resided several companions and most notably Lasher. He ached down to his bones to be settled, to be surrounded by others, to have a home. Though a plateau would not have been his first pick of territories, its residents more than made up for its elevation and lack of water (to a degree; a river ran beneath it at least).

"I appreciate that," he said with a tip of his muzzle. He chose his next words carefully, for he did not want to give way that it was two members of the plateau that were planning to strike off on their own. "Not really, just that one of the would-be alpha's is a bit uncertain of the idea," he shrugged.

One of them was uncertain then?  Though Dante would not judge externally, internally he wondered why this wolf would choose to stick around for an alpha who was reluctant as that.  Of course, he'd been the same when he took over.  Still, if he were Luke, he would have some serious misgivings, hypocritical as they may be.  What if they founded, only to have the alpha realize he or she did not wish to rule?

Some things were better unspoken, though.  He did not want to speak ill of Luke's potential leaders when obviously he had a lot of loyalty.  Loyalty that he wondered if they realized they were taking massive advantage of, forcing him to wander alone while they drug their feet.

"You are patient, much more than I could be, it seems," was all he said, shaking his head in a bemused manner but waving his tail.  "But I have always been overly critical of those I choose to follow."  And so far, each has been the wrong choice.  Yet he couldn't regret choosing Peregrine even if he would never do so again.  It had led him here, after all.  Even a friend he would have no trouble turning down if he thought they were not capable or ready.  In fact, had he been entering the plateau in the early days of his own rule, he doubted he would have stuck around.

If Dante had spoken his thoughts, the white wolf would have seen the wisdom in them, and agreed that perhaps he was making a mistake. But it was true that he was patient, and that he was hardly ever critical of anything. He was also deeply fond of the druid, and believed that if it did not work out that he could always move on. He already had an alternative in mind for if this dragged on much longer. Of course, Luke was not known for his planning, and it was entirely possible that in one impulsive moment he may decide he had had enough. He was close to it.

"I can choose to follow someone else if I don't like their style," he mused with a grin. "But I'm optimistic. To a fault most times," he admitted.

He nodded, though was still dubious. 'Optimistic' was never a term used for him... he was a realist, if not a pessimist even. It wasn't something he could help, imagining the possibilities and failing to discount the bad. And from his opinion it had saved a lot of headaches. It was true he could move on if these new leaders proved as flighty as Dante would have feared, but by then other ties might threaten to hold him. After all, loyalty was a hard thing to give up on when you established yourself. Perhaps Luke found it easier to move on. This he knew from experience.

"Not a bad way to be," he replied. He had a lot of respect for those who saw the good in every situation, even if it might lead them astray sometimes. At times he even found himself wishing he could see what they did, though after some time he usually discounted it. "They will be lucky to have you when the time comes. Are you the only one save the leaders?" If there were more, surely they would travel together. Honestly, it was almost a temptation to offer this wolf temporary sanctuary, especially with the bounty of summer about them. The only thing stopping him was the presence of their young ones. He hesitated to introduce transience to them in that manner. They already had enough members come and go... No need to do so willingly as well. He wished them to learn that the ties of family weren't something made lightly.

Most times his optimism served him well, but it was true and even he knew that his quickness to hope and see the good could lend itself to trouble, or to hurt; he experienced this even now as he lurked in his pack limbo.

"I recruited another loner," he answered, "but that is all I know of. I do not know if they have recruited any others. I was not told if so," at this he frowned. It caused another lance of doubt and uncertainty to pass through him. Was he chasing a fantasy? He hated to think so; or rather his affection and trust in the druid hated to think so. She was a great friend but, what she the leader he needed? Was she doing her part, working hard to make this happen?

He shook his head. He did not like to dwell on this. "Well Dante," he said as he arched into a long stretch with a deep breath. "I think I'm going to find a nice spot to nap. It's been a pleasure though!" He smiled, and waved his tail in farewell. Party because fatigue did tug at him, partly because he wished to find a distraction from his thoughts, and partly because he did not want Dante to ask a question he did not want to answer.

He dipped his muzzle before he left.

"Fair enough. Enjoy." He watched him leave with a nod of farewell, tempted to tell him to keep them in mind but holding back. His offer still stood and he knew that Luke understood that... he did not wish to lay undue pressure on him, especially not when Dante wasn't 100% positive his own pack was a better fit for the white male. He knew after the course of this conversation that, should Luke approach him, he would give him membership. But he would not ask that he renounce his previous pledge in order to do so, not without being sure. It was obvious he was divided enough on the matter, no use adding to the stress.

Shaking his head, he stood, stretching with a yawn before setting course for home. He'd keep an eye out for him, but didn't expect a visit. Likely, and hopefully, all would work out and he'd find himself established in a home in no time. Either way, it was nothing for Dante to worry himself over, not unless he took up the offer given.